Okay, I’ll admit it. In high school I was a know-it-all about everything, and in college I was the same way. The fact that I was the first in my family to embark on the wonderful, challenging journey of attending college didn’t matter to me one bit. As far as I was concerned, I had it all under control…Yeah, right.
Below are nine tips I learned during or after college – when it was too late to change things. Hopefully after reading this you will avoid some of the mistakes I made.
Refund Checks: If you don’t need a check, don’t accept it
When I first discovered refund checks, classes had already begun. “You mean to tell me I get money... for GOING to school?” I thought. “This is GREAT!” But you know what happened? Those five, yes five! years quickly flew by and before I could blink I was receiving a monthly bill to repay my “FREE” money. It’s commonplace to think you can wait a few weeks after receiving the bill to pay, but when you receive the next bill you quickly find out the meaning of “compound interest.” On http://www.studentloanconsolidator.com/ projects subsidized loan interest rates for the 2011-2012 academic year will average 3.4% and increase to 6.8% in the 2012-2013 academic year. Waiting a few weeks longer to pay to pay the bill increases the amount you owe AND tampers with your credit score. BIG NO NO! Unless you have beau coup money (outside of your refund check) expecting to finance anything with bad credit will be just one more miracle for The Lord to perform.
Be wise, people. If you don’t NEED it, don’t KEEP it. Plain and simple. Not to mention, there’s an actual MAXIMUM amount of loans available to you from the government. ((Found that out the hard way)). If you’re considering furthering your education after receiving your undergraduate degree from where will the money come if you’ve exhausted all of your available loans??? You can forget about Pell grants once you receive a bachelor’s degree.
Try finding scholarships for which you qualify. There are plenty of them available, and you don’t always have to have a 4.0 GPA to be awarded one. Most high schools employ people who are highly knowledgeable about available scholarships, and colleges and universities also have comprehensive lists of scholarships and grants, including many offered by alumni. And if that’s not enough, search online. Scholarships.com may have exactly what you’re looking for. And trust me when I tell you there are scholarships for virtually everything.
Unless your dormitory is a hotel, there is NO wake-up call
This is pretty self explanatory guys and gals. I was a little spoiled by the teachers at my high school, which compared to some high schools, was small. If I was out sick I could simply get a message to my teachers who would set aside makeup work for me or give me additional time to complete my assignments when I returned. And believe it or not, I’ve even heard of educators taking work to students’ homes to keep them on track with class work! And at my school we took the same six classes all year versus four classes each semester, so the pace as very slow. Trust me, being absent from class for a day in high school is nothing like being absent in college. Classes occur only two or three times a week, so when you’re absent you miss a lot of information. In high school you could get by when you missed reading a chapter or two, but in college you may be assigned five or six chapters a night and it’s easy to fall behind very quickly. This may sound like common sense, but things have a way of “sneaking up” and if you don’t know what to expect you could be in for a real shock. The bottom line: Don’t get in the habit of missing class!
The college experience is actually necessary
I hear the college experience is awesome. Sadly, that’s all it is for me: hearsay. I worked one full-time job or two part-time jobs my entire college career, so needless to say I missed out on college games, functions, parties and simply hanging out with my classmates. I had such a rigid work schedule it was even a hassle to get off on weekends and holidays to visit my family! I was too submissive on my jobs and rarely stood up for myself. I worked before and immediately after classes. Basically, I worked all of the time. I wish I could say the money was good, but the truth is... I can’t. Please don’t be like me! It’s okay to work while you’re in college. And if you’re like most people nowadays, your parents’ financial status may necessitate it. But remember it’s not wrong to ask for time off – especially while you’re a student. Just don’t abuse the privilege. Asking off once a month is fine, but every weekend is way too much!
Internships
Companies always ask for experience even from new graduates. More than likely, your experience will come from an internship during college. Everyone dreams of an internship that pays great money with minimal work. Keyword: DREAMS. Brace yourself. In reality, you will probably get an internship with little or NO pay. It may sound like a bummer, but if it’s in your chosen profession, it can definitely be an asset to your career and will look great on your resume. Companies are looking for candidates that require little training, meaning they have some idea of what they’re getting into when they accept the position and won’t have to be “ABC’d” on every little thing. Almost all positions – unless the person is starting at entry level – ask for experience.
Hang with people you can actually “hang” with
Okay. Let’s get personal. I never fit in. Like NEEVVEERR. I tried for most of my childhood, but it just DID NOT WORK. It is because of the calling on my life, but it took me 24 years to realize that. See, I was chosen by God before I was in my mother’s womb. (Galatians 1:15) And the world hated me because it first hated Christ. (John 15:18)
College was no different. Although I despised clubbing and ALWAYS felt awkward at clubs, I still would sometimes go to the club with my friends. I had this one friend who we’ll call “Lucy.” Now Lucy could club with the best of them! Actually, in my opinion, she was the best of them. I went out with her more than I went with anyone else, mainly because we lived near each other and she could really party. She would regularly go to the club, drink and dance the night away, get in around 3 a.m., be on time for her 8 o’clock class and earn ALL A’s every semester! Truly, it was mind boggling! I, on the other hand, would try to drink – notice I said try – complain about the drink, drink it and too fast, I might add, waste my money, get tipsy off that one drink, hope no one asked me to dance because I have no rhythm and was disgusted by a sweaty drunk man touching me ((GROSS)), get bored, get sleepy, go home, crawl in bed, not be able to sleep and go to class tired and feeling ill. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate in class and would eventually pass with a C...minus. I went clubbing only once every blue moon, compared to Lucy who went just about every weekend! I just could not hang. All I am saying is know your limits, people. Know your limits. Looking back on it, I now realize I wasn’t able to enjoy clubbing because God was convicting me and not allowing me to enjoy it. Although I didn’t understand it, He was showing me that I am in this world but I am not of this world. (John 15:19) It’s not until you know better that you do better.
Major in a field because you’ll actually enjoy it and not because someone recommended it or “it’s safe”
Okay. Here’s another personal story. I majored in marketing. Why? I was in DECA, an Association of Marketing Student. ((I have such fond memories of those days (= ))in high school and really enjoyed it. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the courses, but taking them in college was far different than taking them in high school. I never thought to go online and research different majors. And there was no one in my family with whom I could talk about college life. As I mentioned earlier, I was the first one in my family to embark on a college journey. I had no idea what I could do with a marketing degree, but being “undecided” and listing that on my college application was out of the question for me. ((Remember the know-it all part? SMH)). **[[[SN: One of Reggie's aunt, who is now my auntie too (= listed “undecided” on her application to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, despite strong objections from one of her guidance counselors. She was accepted, earned a journalism degree in four years and has been a writer since graduating from Carolina in 1986. So i GUESS, there is nothing wrong with listing yourself as undecided. Just kidding Aunt Laurie (= ]]]** But I was too afraid – or perhaps too ashamed – to admit I didn’t know what I wanted to do at the time, so I majored in marketing. A know-it-all like me couldn’t have people thinking she was unfocused and not sure of herself, after all. Pah-leeze. Things worked out for me, but in retrospect I think my college experience could have been very different with better, well-thought-out planning. My suggestion to you: Research, research and more research. Spend time thinking about what you want to do and why. Weigh the pros and cons. I recently did a Google search for “deciding a college major” and numerous sites appeared. I actually tried out one site that offers a quiz to help people decide a major. I must admit the site was pretty good and on point. My results indicated I would enjoy a career in teaching ministry and counseling, and a few other areas. Check it out: http://homeworktips.about.com/library/maj/bl_majors_quiz.htm You never know. It just may help you tremendously!
And for the record, I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but you may be in a situation where someone is actually paying for your education and that person is mandating your course of study. If that’s the case, don’t WORRY ABOUT IT. PRAY ABOUT IT. (See James 1:5)
Take better advantage of available opportunities! You’re paying for it anyway
There are so many opportunites and services available! During college, I attended a couple of basketball games and maybe one theater play. Because I was a business major I attended a class on business etiquette and also a resume-building seminar. And I also met with a very nice lady whose name now escapes me. Her department taught students how to effectively study. What I just described is nothing compared to the vast array of opportunities that the college I attended had to offer. There was so much more available for me to do and see, and I should have taken advantage of as much as I could without it negatively affecting my grades and health. Colleges provide athletics, religious and cultural activities and so much more, but it’s up to YOU to take advantage of what’s available. Stop by your student union. Go through your college’s directory. Talk to professors and other students. Do whatever you must to learn about the opportunities at your college and exploit them. Whether you want to be enlightened, productive or just have fun, I’m sure your college offers opportunities that can fulfill your needs. Take advantage!
Having a relationship with God is vital!
I could have spared myself of “so-called” friends, self-inflicted pain, no-good men and other tribultions if only I’d had wisdom from The Holy Spirit while I was in college. I’ll never know how much danger he shielded me from, but I can say I’m aware of a few things, people and organizations that would have undoubtedly taken me down a negative path on which I might still be today had it not been for Him. Whew! Thank you for, God, for not letting me go too far.
If only I had the discernment to know what is right. (Psalms 119:125) If only I knew how much He loves me and has always loved me. (1 Thessalonians 1:14) If only. The great news is NOW I know! And I absolutely refuse to forget! Trust The Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Trust me when I tell you that your own understanding will have you all jacked up. There are many levels of having a relationship with God. You don’t have to be a veteran Christian to communicate with God. He can meet you wherever you are! One of the MANY great things about God is He can see directly into your heart! You may not like that if you’re not the kindest person in the world, but it’s wonderful to think that you never really have to explain yourself to Him. He gets you! He believes in you! He loves you!
Research colleges before going. Don’t choose simply based on family history or rumors
Yes, I’m guilty of this as that’s exactly how I chose the college I attended. “I’m going to VCU. Oh, out-of-state tuition is HOW MUCH??? Well, I’m going to Chapel Hill. Oh, they want me to do THIS MANY ESSAYS? Well, there are other UNC schools, right??? Let me just go through the college book in the guidance office.” Sad, but true. I chose UNC Greensboro because they had DECA…which I never joined. My plan was if I wasn’t accepted at UNC G I’d apply to Winston-Salem State University. Either I didn’t realize it was acceptable to apply to both colleges simultaneously, or I was just too lazy to apply for both of those schools at once. I never visited any colleges, mostly because I had no car and no one to take me to various colleges for visits. It never occurred to me that colleges accepted too many students and housing was not a given. I assumed I would continue getting free lunch and free textbooks. Boy was I wrong! God was definitely with me, because everything worked itself out on my first long day of orientation. I will never forget how overwhelmed I was with trying to find housing, getting my financial aid finalized and registering for classes. And as luck would have it, my first interaction with a professor resulted in tears – for me. I don’t think I ever saw him again after that day. He was a tad rude, but know that I think about it, he was probably a little stressed out because of the overload of freshmen, so I forgive him. (=
The moral to this story is make wise choices. I honestly didn’t know any better. I don’t regret going to UNC Greensboro. It introduced me to The City of Greensboro, where I still enjoy living today. I met friends with whom I still keep in close touch. My ignorant way of choosing a college could have very well ended badly, but fortunately it didn’t.
Well, folks, those are the nine tips I learned the hard way. What experiences do you have? Submit them to p2tministry@gmail.com with “College Tips” in the subject line. Your responses just may appear in our next issue. (=
Be blessed and keep God first in your lives.
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